The present invention relates to devices for measuring the angle of orientation with reference to a known frame of reference between a first object having a first axis and a second remote destination, and more particularly to such devices used in the construction industry for installing water pipes, sprinkler pipes, drain pipes, electrical conduit, heating ducts, and the like, buildings, building frames and rafters, laying bricks, forming concrete work, and so on.
During the construction and renovation of buildings, it is common to install water pipes, sprinkler pipes, drain pipes, electrical conduit, heating ducts, and so on. Very commonly, a lengthy section of pipe, conduit, or duct must be installed at an angle between two other similar pipes, conduits, or ducts. The installation of such angled sections of pipe, conduit, or duct might be between two opposed ends of pipes, conduits, or ducts that are axially offset one from the other. In this case, it is common to use a correctly angled elbow connector at each end of the section of pipe, conduit, or duct being installed. In many cases, the section of pipe, conduit, or duct being installed might be as mush as fifty or one hundred feet long, or even more. Accordingly, it is necessary to accurately determine the necessary angle or angles of the elbow connectors so that the installed section of pipe, conduit, or duct will fit properly and will not be misaligned. Typically, there is very little room for error as these pipes, conduits, or ducts are rigid, so that these elbows must be constructed quite accurately. In instances such as where the two opposed ends of the pipes, conduits, or ducts are both horizontally and vertically axially offset one from the other, it is especially difficult to determine the angle of the elbow connectors.
Also, if two pipes, conduits, or ducts that are axially offset one from the other are to be joined, it is possible to merely make an xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d-shaped connector. It is necessary to know how much offset must be accommodated by the xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d-shaped connector. This is often difficult to determine from merely measuring, and also may be inaccurate, since the distance between the two pipes to be joined could be fifty or one hundred feet, or more.
Similarly, xe2x80x9cYxe2x80x9d-connectors are used to connect a branch pipe, conduit, or duct into an existing pipe, conduit, or duct, and so on. The branch must be accurately constructed at a precise angle so as to meet its target, which might be another pipe, conduit, or duct, and so on, or might be an opening to a furnace, a bin, a hopper, a vessel, or the like. The destination may be horizontally and vertically axially offset from the starting point, thus making it especially difficult to determine the angle of the elbow connectors.
Also, when hanging pipes from a ceiling, hanging an electrical fixture from the ceiling, or when building a wall, it is necessary to hang or at least attach the pipe, electrical fixture, or wall from the ceiling, yet position it with respect to a specific location on the floor. Typically, levels and plumb lines are used; however, the use of levels can easily cause inaccurate results and the use of plumb line is time consuming and in some cases is not feasible.
Another example is the connection of a vertical plumbing pipe to an existing horizontal plumbing pipe in a ceiling at a xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d-intersection. It may be necessary to extend the vertical pipe upwardly at an angle to intersect the horizontal pipe at the ceiling. Alternatively, it may be necessary to install a connecting section of plumbing pipe downwardly at an angle from a specific location on the existing horizontal plumbing pipe to meet the vertical plumbing pipe. In either case, the correct angle for one or two angled elbow connectors must be determined.
In these above stated examples, it is common in order to determine the angle of a straight line between two remote objects to have to climb up a ladder, attach a line to both objects, ensure the line is taut and straight, and place a protractor on the line to determine an angle. This is extremely time consuming, inaccurate, and in many cases cannot even be done because of distances involved, objects being in the way, and so on. Further, in many cases, it is necessary to climb over machinery, which is very unsafe and therefore most likely prohibited.
It is also often necessary to determine a compound angle, or in other words, an angle that must be determined in two stages. For instance, a first pipe, conduit, or duct has a xe2x80x9cYxe2x80x9d-intersection of a known angle, such as thirty degrees, installed in it that extends towards, but somewhat skew to, a second pipe, conduit, or duct. In order to extend the extension portion of the xe2x80x9cYxe2x80x9d-intersection to the second pipe, conduit, or duct, it is necessary to determine the angle of an elbow connector that will accommodate the both known angle of the xe2x80x9cYxe2x80x9d-intersection and will also accommodate the skew angle. Determining the correct angle is quite difficult and time consuming.
In another example, when constructing a wooden frame structure such as a roof, it is sometimes necessary to calculate specific angles between one location and another, such as in a roof truss. Again, analogously to the situations discussed above, this may be difficult, especially for a large structure.
The closest known prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,282 issued on Dec. 1st, 1998 to Ting. That patent discloses a laser angle adjustment device for laser measuring instruments. The device comprises an single elongate casing 10 that retains the remainder of the elements of the device. A transverse hole (not shown) within the casing 10 receives and retains an aluminum barrel 1. A top cover 2 is mounted within the aluminum barrel 1 for rotation about an axis transverse to the length of the elongate casing 10. An annular index dial 3 is secured to the top cover 2 for rotation therewith. A horizontal chamber 22 forms part of the top cover 2. A laser 9 is mounted within the chamber 22 to thereby be rotatable therewith. The laser 9 is can be aimed in any angular direction within a single plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation. There is no angle measuring device mounted on the rotatable top cover 2 that permits measurement of the orientation of the laser 9 with respect to a fixed known reference frame.
A device for levelling and squaring that is somewhat similar to the above described laser angle adjustment device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 5,531,031 issued on Jul. 2, 1996 to Green entitled Laser Level and Square. The device includes a level body having a spirit vial or electronic inclinometer, wherein a battery powered laser module assembly is rotatably mounted in one end of the level body for emitting a visible laser beam therefrom. The level body contains a transparent window which allows the laser beam to exit therefrom. Further, the level body has a groove parallel the longitudinal axis thereof to provide a horizontal reference line. The laser beam establishes a precise line that is variably adjustable from horizontal to 90 degrees thereto, for alignment and squaring uses. Magnetic strips are used for attaching the level body to ferromagnetic materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,911 issued on Oct. 8, 1996 to Martin discloses a Level Tool with Laser Light Alignment Capabilities that includes a straight rigid first rail having a levelling vial coupled thereto. A laser light source is coupled to the first rail and with the laser light source transmitting a laser beam that is longitudinally aligned with the first rail to a remote location for use in alignment operations. A straight rigid short second rail is rotatably coupled at its first end to the first end of the first rail for 180 degree movement with respect thereto. A protractor indicates the relative angle between the first and second rails.
The problem with the known prior art devices is that they measure a relative, angle between two members that pivot with respect to each other, or in other words, measure an angle with respect to a moving reference frame, not with respect to a fixed reference frame.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for measuring the angle of orientation with reference to a known frame of reference between a first object having a first axis and a second remote destination.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a novel device for measuring the angle of orientation with respect to a known frame of reference between a first object having a first axis and a second remote destination. The device comprises a first arm member defining a first longitudinal axis and an object engaging surface substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis for engaging a first object thereagainst. A second arm member is connected in pivotal relation to the first arm member at a primary joint for pivotal movement about a first transverse pivot axis intersecting the first longitudinal axis and defining a second longitudinal axis intersecting the first longitudinal axis and the first transverse pivot axis. A laser is mounted on the second arm member for projecting a laser beam along a laser beam axis parallel to the second longitudinal axis. A first angle measuring means is mounted on the second arm member to measure and indicate the angle of the second longitudinal axis with respect to a fixed reference frame other than the first longitudinal axis.
Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly described hereinbelow.